Semantic interpretation of a database query language

In this paper, we will discuss a system that semantically interprets a formal database accessing language and generates natural language from this interpretation. In the past, the major way of communication between a user and a database was by means of a formal language. One such language is the SQL query language. Even though constructed as a user friendly language, SQL exemplifies the same difficulties for users as do other formal languages, namely a fairly rigid syntax, the necessity of variable binding, the lack of pronouns, and in the case of erroneous queries error messages that do not provide much insight. To alleviate some of the formal language problems, yet utilize the power of the formal language, we set out to build a natural language ‘umbrella’ for the SQL user. Our goal was not to build a natural language query system, but rather to use semantic knowledge and natural language for paraphrasing the formal language (SQL) and producing error messages as a feedback mechanism. In this way we build a genuine help facility, which would not only aid the user in dealing with SQL, but also trap erroneous queries.     

Generalization of strategies for fuzzy query translation in classical relational databases

Users of information systems would like to express flexible queries over the data possibly retrieving imperfect items when the perfect ones, which exactly match the selection conditions, are not available. Most commercial DBMSs are still based on the SQL for querying. Therefore, providing some flexibility to SQL can help users to improve their interaction with the systems without requiring them to learn a completely novel language. Based on the fuzzy set theory and the α-cut operation of fuzzy number, this paper presents the generic fuzzy queries against classical relational databases and develops the translation of the fuzzy queries. The generic fuzzy queries mean that the query condition consists of complex fuzzy terms as the operands and complex fuzzy relations as the operators in a fuzzy query. With different thresholds that the user chooses for the fuzzy query, the user’s fuzzy queries can be translated into precise queries for classical relational databases.     

A visual language for modeling and executing traceability queries

Current software and systems engineering tools provide only basic trace features, and as a result users are often compelled to construct non-trivial traceability queries using generic query languages such as SQL. In this paper, we present an alternative approach which defines traceability strategies for a project using UML class diagrams and then constructs trace queries as constraints upon subsets of the model. The visual trace modeling language (VTML) allows users to model a broad range of trace queries while hiding underlying technical details and data structures. The viability and expressiveness of VTML for use in a real project are demonstrated through modeling a broadly representative set of queries for a web-based health-care system. It is then evaluated through an experiment with human users to assess the readability and writability of VTML queries in comparison to generic SQL queries. We found that users read and constructed traceability queries considerably faster using VTML than using SQL. Furthermore, visually constructed traceability queries were substantially more correct compared to the same queries constructed with SQL.     

An interface between object-oriented databases and relational databases

Currently relational databases are widely used, while object-oriented databases are emerging as a new generation of database technology. This paper presents a methodology to provide effective sharing of information in object-oriented databases and relational databases. The object-oriented data model is selected as a common data model to build an integrated view of the diverse databases. An object-oriented query language is used as a standard query language. A method is developed to transform a relational data definition to an equivalent object-oriented data definition and to integrate local data definitions. Two distributed query processing methods are derived. One is for general queries and the other for a special class of restricted queries. Using the methods developed, it is possible to access distributed object-oriented databases and relational databases such that the locations and the structural differences of the databases are transparent to users.     

基于贝叶斯网络的XML文档查询模型

目前XML查询语言及查询界面对Web用户过于复杂,该文描述了一种XML文档索引机制,在此基础上建立了一个通用的贝叶斯网络查询模型。用户只需在交互界面输入自然语言描述的查询,系统就能对其实现基于语义的构造,由它生成多个结构化查询;对这些查询建立贝叶斯网络,计算查询在给定文档下的概率,选择概率最大的前3个查询提交给系统执行。     

基于本体的UML类图语义推理

统一建模语言(UML)是一个半形式化的语言,其语义部分是采用自然语言描述的,使得它在建模过程中会产生语义不一致等问题。在详细比较UML类图与本体的基础上,提出了一种UML类图的形式化方法;首先将UML类图转换为相应的本体;然后根据本体提供的推理算法(Tableau)对转换得到的本体进行推理,检测其中的不一致性从而修改UML类图,最后达到精确UML类图。     

Efficient processing of nested Fuzzy SQL queries in a fuzzydatabase

In a fuzzy relational database where a relation is a fuzzy set of tuples and ill-known data are represented by possibility distributions, nested fuzzy queries can be expressed in the Fuzzy SQL language. Although it provides a very convenient way for users to express complex queries, a nested fuzzy query may be very inefficient to process with the naive evaluation method based on its semantics. In conventional databases, nested queries are unnested to improve the efficiency of their evaluation. In this paper, we extend the unnesting techniques to process several types of nested fuzzy queries. An extended merge-join is used to evaluate the unnested fuzzy queries. As shown by both theoretical analysis and experimental results, the unnesting techniques with the extended merge-join significantly improve the performance of evaluating nested fuzzy queries     

XML materialized views and schema evolution in VIREX

Web-based databases are gaining increased popularity. This has positively influenced the availability of structured and semi-structured databases for access by a variety of users ranging from professionals to naive users. The number of users accessing online databases will continue to increase if the visual tools connected to web-based databases are flexible and user-friendly enough to meet the expectations of naive users and professionals. Further, XML is accepted as the standard for platform independent data exchange. This motivated for the development of the conversion tools between structured databases and XML. Realizing that such a need has not been well handled by the available tools, including Clio from IBM, we developed VIREX as a visual tool for converting relational databases into XML, and since then has been empowered with further capabilities to manipulate the produced XML schema including the maintenance of materialized views and schema evolution functions. VIREX provides an interactive approach for querying and integrating relational databases to produce XML documents and the corresponding XML schema(s). VIREX supports VRXQuery as a visual naive users-oriented query language that allows users to specify queries and define views directly on the interactive diagram as a sequence of mouse clicks with minimum keyboard input. As the query result, VIREX displays on the screen the XML schema that satisfies the specified characteristics and generates colored (easy to read) XML document(s). The main contribution described in this paper is the novel approach for turning query results into materialized views which are maintained to remain consistent with the underlying database. VIREX supports deferred update of XML views by keeping an ordered summary of the necessary and sufficient information required for the process. Each view has a corresponding marker in the ordered summary to indicate the start of the information to be reflected onto the view when it is accessed. When a view is accessed, its marker moves to the head of the list to mark for the next update. In addition, VIREX supports some basic schema evolution functions include renaming, adding and dropping of elements and attributes, among others. The supported schema evolution functions add flexibility to the view maintenance and materialization process.     

An Imprecision-based Language for the Web

In this paper, we introduce a fuzzy language to extract information from the web extending the web query language WebSQL [1]. These extensions are based on two observations: the inadequacy of traditional Boolean query languages for web documents, and the need to move beyond the notion of query providing just a set of answers in order to provide a better data presentation through answers' restructuring. In order to address the first issue, we consider fuzzy sets to express imprecision in data, queries and answers. In our case, data imprecision comes from the data classification provided by several search engines. Query imprecision occurs in weighting values provided at query definition time. Answer imprecision allows to filter and rank the answers. To address the second point, we provide an answer restructuring language to model the restructuring phase that follows the query phase. The restructuring language allows creation/deletion of links and page creation. Thus several answer organizations are possible as a result to the same query. The resulting language extends in a uniform framework WebSQL. Then we provide a mapping for the language constructs into an extended relational algebra called SAME^W[2] expressing similarity-based queries over imprecisely classified data, queries involving navigation among web pages and answer restructurings. Finally, we study the optimization of similarity-based queries using equivalence and containment rules holding for SAME^Wand presenting several algorithms for query evaluation.     

RELOOP, an algebra based query language for an object-oriented database system

In most object-oriented databases, as opposed to value-oriented databases, data are accessed by a programming language instead of a declarative query language. End users do not have a simple tool to perform their queries. This paper is concerned with the definition of an SQL-like query language on top of the O₂ object-oriented database system. We study the influence of the object-oriented paradigm on a query language, describe our language through examples, define its semantics by means of an algebra and sketch the compilation of RELOOP in one of the languages supported by the O₂ system.     

Design and Query Strategies to Hypermedia Applications

In this paper we propose an object-oriented model for designing hypermedia applications. As the object-oriented paradigm allows complex and user-defined types, nonconventional and nonatomic attributes, we can take advantage of these capabilities, not only for information modelling, but also for providing alternative ways for accessing information.A query language is then presented; it is based on an Object-Oriented Database System query language. It combines features of object-oriented databases queries and primitives for hypermedia navigation. The language offers the possibility of querying both the application-domain information, and allowing the designers to obtain information about the schema of the application.We present some examples of the use of the object-oriented model and the query language.     

Access to indexed hierarchical databases using a relational querylanguage

An efficient means of accessing indexed hierarchical databases using a relational query language is presented. The purpose is to achieve an effective sharing of heterogeneous distributed databases. Translation of hierarchical data to an equivalent relational data definition, translation of a relational query language statement to an equivalent program that can be processed by a hierarchical database management system, and automatic selection of secondary indexes of hierarchical databases are investigated. A major portion of the result has been implemented, and the performance of the implemented system is analyzed. The performance of the system is satisfactory for a wide range of test data and test queries. It is shown that the utilization of the secondary index significantly enhances the efficiency in accessing hierarchical databases     

Query generation for retrieving data from distributed semistructured documents using a metadata interface

We describe a method for generating queries for retrieving data from distributed heterogeneous semistructured documents, and its implementation in the metadata interface DDXMI (distributed document XML metadata interchange). The proposed system generates local queries appropriate to local schemas from a user query over the global schema. The system constructs mappings between global schema and local schemas (extracted from local documents if not given), path substitution, and node identification for resolving the heterogeneity among nodes with the same label that often exist in semistructured data. The system uses Quilt as its XML query language. An experiment is reported over three local semistructured documents: ‘thesis’, ‘reports’, and ‘journal’ documents with ‘article’ global schema. The prototype was developed under Windows system with Java and JavaCC.     

Extending temporal query languages to handle imprecise time intervals

Previous work on temporal and historical databases has been mainly based on the assumption that the time intervals of temporal attributes and the start/finish points of modeled events are precisely known. In many real life situations, however, the time boundary of events and the duration of entity relationships may not be exactly known. Modeling these situations and providing a way to write queries dealing with time impreciseness represents a useful extension currently lacking in existing/proposed temporal database systems. In this paper, we discuss the problem of handling time impreciseness in temporal databases and present three models for the representation of imprecise time intervals. We illustrate the basic idea and motivation of each model, its underlying logic, tradeoffs, and important properties. We also propose query language extensions that can enrich the user interface with capabilities to formulate queries dealing with time impreciseness. Extensions to existing query constructs at both the transaction level and the operator level are presented. New operators related to time impreciseness are also presented. The models and extensions discussed in this paper enrich the flexibility of temporal databases and can be used to help users obtain more meaningful replies for their temporal queries.     

基于用户日志挖掘的查询扩展方法

查询扩展可以有效地消除查询歧义,提高信息检索的准确率和召回率.通过挖掘用户日志中查询词和相关文档的连接关系,构造关联查询,并在此基础上提出一种从关联查询中提取查询扩展词的查询扩展方法.同时,还提出一种查询歧义的判别方法,该方法可以对查询词所表达的检索意图的模糊程度进行有效度量,也可以对查询词的检索性能进行预先估计.通过对查询歧义的度量来动态调整扩展词的长度,提高查询扩展模型的灵活性和适应能力.     

Efficient fuzzy ranking queries in uncertain databases

Recently, uncertain data have received dramatic attention along with technical advances on geographical tracking, sensor network and RFID etc. Also, ranking queries over uncertain data has become a research focus of uncertain data management. With dramatically growing applications of fuzzy set theory, lots of queries involving fuzzy conditions appear nowadays. These fuzzy conditions are widely applied for querying over uncertain data. For instance, in the weather monitoring system, weather data are inherent uncertainty due to some measurement errors. Weather data depicting heavy rain are desired, where ??heavy?? is ambiguous in the fuzzy query. However, fuzzy queries cannot ensure returning expected results from uncertain databases. In this paper, we study a novel kind of ranking queries, Fuzzy Ranking queries (FRanking queries) which extend the traditional notion of ranking queries. FRanking queries are able to handle fuzzy queries submitted by users and return k results which are the most likely to satisfy fuzzy queries in uncertain databases. Due to fuzzy query conditions, the ranks of tuples cannot be evaluated by existing ranking functions. We propose Fuzzy Ranking Function to calculate tuples?? ranks in uncertain databases for both attribute-level and tuple-level uncertainty models. Our ranking function take both the uncertainty and fuzzy semantics into account. FRanking queries are formally defined based on Fuzzy Ranking Function. In the processing of answering FRanking queries, we present a pruning method which safely prunes unnecessary tuples to reduce the search space. To further improve the efficiency, we design an efficient algorithm, namely Incremental Membership Algorithm (IMA) which efficiently answers FRanking queries by evaluating the ranks of incremental tuples under each threshold for the fuzzy set. We demonstrate the effectiveness and efficiency of our methods through the theoretical analysis and experiments with synthetic and real datasets.     

Rewriting rules to permeate complex similarity and fuzzy queries within a relational database system

In recent years, the availability of complex data repositories (e.g., multimedia, genomic, semistructured databases) has paved the way to new potentials as to data querying. In this scenario, similarity and fuzzy techniques have proven to be successful principles for effective data retrieval. However, most proposals are domain specific and lack of a general and integrated approach to deal with generalized complex queries, i.e., queries where multiple conditions are expressed, possibly on complex as well as on traditional data. To overcome such limitations, much work has been devoted to the development of middleware systems to support query processing on multiple repositories. On a similar line, We present a formal framework to permeate complex similarity and fuzzy queries within a relational database system. As an example, we focus on multimedia data, which is represented in an integrated view with common database data. We have designed an application layer that relies on an algebraic query language, extended with MM-tailored operators, and that maps complex similarity and fuzzy queries to standard SQL statements that can be processed by a relational database system, exploiting standard facilities of modern extensible RDBMS. To show the applicability of our proposal, we implemented a prototype that provides the user with rich query capabilities, ranging from traditional database queries to complex queries gathering a mixture of Boolean, similarity, and fuzzy predicates on the data.     

数据库关键字查询技术研究

随着互联网技术与数据库技术的不断发展和相互结合,越来越多的用户需要访问在线数据库来获取各种信息,在该过程中,用户要对数据库中的数据进行查询。因此,用户就必需要掌握一定的结构化查询语言SQL,而且还要对数据库模式有一个认识和了解。但事实上,多数用户并不会使用结构化查询语言,也不了解数据库模式。所以,便产生了一个很自然的用户需求——数据库支持基于关键字的查询,文章主要就是对数据库支持基于关键字的查询进行简要的分析和探讨。     

Boundary query solution using convex hull algorithm

An important issue in database (DB) systems is responding to different users’ queries in an acceptable time. To do this, we should define different queries based on users’ real needs and we should consider suitable solutions. In this article, we express a new query called ‘boundary query’ which is used for achieving an overall view of a subject in the DB. This query does not return all query answers but it returns boundary values that cover all answers for the related query. In this article, we map a DB environment to a vector space based on necessary attributes. Then we implement the proposed method, and based on the results, we observe that the proposed method's run time is acceptable for huge DBs.